Folding chair riser

ABSTRACT

A set of extenders attach to chair legs, such as folding chair legs, to safely and easily increase the height of the chair. The extenders can be designed as blocks that attach to the chair legs and can provide two different height adjustment positions. The blocks do not restrict movement of the chair while providing the desired height for user comfort. The blocks can be designed to receive straight legs and can also be designed to receive horizontal beam legs. The blocks can be fixed to the chair legs with one or more set screws to provide a secure, safe, and convenient chair height adjustment. The extenders of the present invention eliminate the need for a user to sit on phone books or pillows to achieve a desired seating height.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisional application No. 61/611,429, filed Mar. 15, 2012, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to chair accessories and, more particularly, to extenders that can attach to legs of a chair, such as a folding chair, to increase the height of the chair.

Folding chairs are kept in many households to provide impromptu seating as needed. When having large family meals during holidays, for example, there may be more people than dining room chairs. Folding chairs are often relied upon for additional seating. However, the people that get the folding chairs are often seating significantly lower than others around the table.

When used for seating at a standard dining room table, folding chairs are typically too low for comfortable eating. Placing the folding chair on objects to achieve the desired height can be uncomfortable and unsafe. For example, people can sit on books or blocks to raise them up to a comfortable sitting level. However, when this is done, not only can it be dangerous, but it can also raise the person above the back rest, where the person seated effectively has no back rest.

As can be seen, there is a need for a safe and convenient way to raise the height of folding chairs, and other similar chairs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a chair riser apparatus comprises a plurality of risers operable to receive front and rear legs of a chair; and a set screw for securing the plurality of risers to the front and rear legs of the chair.

In another aspect of the present invention, a chair riser apparatus comprises a pair of front leg risers and a pair of rear leg risers operable to receive front and rear legs of a chair; a leg placement hole formed in each of the pairs of front and rear leg risers, the leg placement hole receiving the front and rear legs of the chair to provide a first height adjustment of the chair; a set screw for securing the pairs of front and rear leg risers to the front and rear legs of the chair; a height adjustment dowel operable to be placed at the ends of the front and rear legs of the chair, between the pairs of front and rear leg risers and the front and rear legs of the chair to provide a second, higher height adjustment of the chair; and a height adjustment dowel storage hole formed in each of the pairs of front and rear leg risers, the height adjustment dowel storage hole operable to store the height adjustment dowel when not in use and the chair is supported at a first height adjustment.

In a further aspect of the present invention, a chair riser apparatus comprises a plurality of risers operable to receive front and rear legs of a chair, wherein at least two of the plurality of risers are formed in a U-shape to receive a continuous beam of the chair; a set screw for securing the plurality of risers to the front and rear legs of the chair; and a dowel placement hole formed in an interior base of the U-shaped risers for receiving an optional height adjustment dowel.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of chair extenders, installed on a folding chair, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a front leg riser according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of a rear leg riser according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the front leg riser of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the front leg riser of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the rear leg riser of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the rear leg riser of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 1, illustrating the use of a height adjustment dowel;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 10-10 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 10-10 of FIG. 1, illustrating the use of a height adjustment dowel;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a chair raised by chair extenders according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a detailed perspective view of rear leg risers of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a detailed perspective view of the rear leg risers of FIG. 12, illustrating the use of a height adjustment dowel; and

FIG. 15 is an exploded perspective view of the rear leg riser of FIG. 12.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a set of extenders that attach to chair legs, such as folding chair legs, to safely and easily increase the height of the chair. The extenders can be designed as blocks that attach to the chair legs and can provide two different height adjustment positions. The blocks do not restrict movement of the chair while providing the desired height for user comfort. The blocks can be designed to receive straight legs and can also be designed to receive horizontal beam legs. The blocks can be fixed to the chair legs with one or more set screws to provide a secure, safe, and convenient chair height adjustment. The extenders of the present invention eliminate the need for a user to sit on phone books or pillows to achieve a desired seating height.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 11, a chair, such as a four-footed folding chair, can typically rest on a surface on a pair of forward legs 16 and a pair of rear legs 18. Front leg extender blocks 10 can be placed on the end of the forward legs 16 and back leg extender blocks 12 can be placed on the end of the rear legs 18. The front leg extender blocks 10 and the back leg extender blocks 12 can raise the height of the chair 14 while not limiting the movement of function thereof.

The front leg extender blocks 10 can include front leg extender block body 20 having a front leg placement hole 24 for insertion of the forward leg 16. A front leg set screw hole 26 can communicate the front leg placement hole 24 with a front face of the front leg extender block 10. A knife thread insert 40 can be disposed in the front leg set screw hole 26. A set screw 42 can be threaded into the knife thread insert 40 so that tightening the set screw 42 causes the set screw 42 to press and secure the forward leg 16 in the front leg placement hole 24. The front leg extender block 10 can have a curved rest surface 28 to provide contact with a floor surface regardless of the angle of the forward leg 16.

A rear leg extender bock 12 can be designed similar to the front leg extender block 10. The rear leg extender block 12 can include a rear leg extender block body 30 having a rear leg placement hole 34 therein. A set screw 42 can act in a similar way as described above (by being threaded into a knife thread insert 40 disposed in a rear leg set screw hole 36) to secure the rear leg 18 in the rear leg placement hole 34. The rear leg extender block 12 can have a curved rest surface 38 to provide contact with the floor surface regardless of the angle of the rear leg 18.

In some embodiments of the present invention, a sleeve, such as a rubber sleeve 46, can be disposed in the front and rear leg placement holes 24, 34 to protect the front and rear legs 16, 18 and help secure the legs 16, 18 in position within the placement holes 24, 34 when the set screws 42 are tightened.

The front leg extender block body 20 can include a height adjustment dowel storage hole 22 for placement of a height adjustment dowel 44. Similarly, the rear leg extender bock body 30 can include a height adjustment dowel storage hole 32 for placement of another height adjustment dowel 44. The height adjustment dowels 44 can be removed from the height adjustment dowel storage holes 22, 32 and be placed in the front and rear leg placement holes 24, 34 prior to insertion of the front and rear legs 16, 18 to provide an increased, second height position for the chair 14.

Referring now to FIGS. 12 through 15, it can be appreciated that some chairs 50 have a continuous beam 52 disposed between the chair legs 16, 18 instead of straight chair legs as shown and described above. In these cases, a continuous beam leg extender 48 can be formed as a U-shape with a notch 54 for receiving the continuous beam 52. The continuous beam leg extender 48 can have one or more set screw holes 56, typically two set screw holes 56 in the continuous beam leg extender body 62. Knife thread inserts 40 can fit into the set screw holes 56 and a set screw 42 can be threaded into the knife thread inserts 40 so that the set screw 42 can be tightened against the continuous beam 52 to secure the continuous beam leg extender 48 thereto.

Multiple height adjustments can be provided by a height adjustment dowel 44 that can be stored in a continuous bean leg extender height adjustment dowel storage hole 58. Without using the height adjustment dowel 44, the chair 50 can be raised to a first height adjustment as shown in FIG. 13. When using the height adjustment dowel 44 by placing the height adjustment dowel in a dowel placement hole in the continuous beam leg extender body 62 (at the interior base of the U-shape), a second height adjustment can be achieved, as shown in FIG. 14.

The leg placement holes 24, 34 can be sided of the appropriate diameter to receive the legs 16, 18 of the chair. The height adjustment dowel 44 can be sized to fit into the leg placement holes 24, 34.

While FIGS. 12 through 15 show the base of the U-shaped continuous bean leg extender body 62 and the height adjustment dowel 44 as being flat, in some embodiments, these elements can be rounded to match the shape of the continuous beam 52.

While the Figures show the continuous beam 52 being a rear support for the chair 50. The continuous beam 52 could be disposed as the front support or as both the front and rear support for the chair 50.

The various chair leg risers described above can be made from various materials. For example, the chair leg risers can be made of one or more of wood, plastic, composite, metal or the like.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A chair riser apparatus comprising: a plurality of risers operable to receive front and rear legs of a chair; and a set screw for securing the plurality of risers to the front and rear legs of the chair.
 2. The chair riser apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a leg placement hole formed in each of the plurality of risers, the leg placement hole receiving the front and rear legs of the chair to provide a first height adjustment of the chair.
 3. The chair riser apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a height adjustment dowel operable to be placed at the ends of the front and rear legs of the chair, between the plurality of risers and the front and rear legs of the chair to provide a second, higher height adjustment of the chair.
 4. The chair riser apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a height adjustment dowel storage hole formed in each of the plurality of risers, the height adjustment dowel storage hole operable to store the height adjustment dowel when not in use and the chair is supported at a first height adjustment.
 5. The chair riser apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a sleeve disposed in the leg placement hole.
 6. The chair riser apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least two of the plurality of risers are formed in a U-shape to receive a continuous beam of the chair.
 7. The chair riser apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a dowel placement hole formed in an interior base of the U-shaped risers for receiving an optional height adjustment dowel.
 8. A chair riser apparatus comprising: a pair of front leg risers and a pair of rear leg risers operable to receive front and rear legs of a chair; a leg placement hole formed in each of the pairs of front and rear leg risers, the leg placement hole receiving the front and rear legs of the chair to provide a first height adjustment of the chair; a set screw for securing the pairs of front and rear leg risers to the front and rear legs of the chair; a height adjustment dowel operable to be placed at the ends of the front and rear legs of the chair, between the pairs of front and rear leg risers and the front and rear legs of the chair to provide a second, higher height adjustment of the chair; and a height adjustment dowel storage hole formed in each of the pairs of front and rear leg risers, the height adjustment dowel storage hole operable to store the height adjustment dowel when not in use and the chair is supported at a first height adjustment.
 9. The chair riser apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a sleeve disposed in the leg placement hole.
 10. A chair riser apparatus comprising: a plurality of risers operable to receive front and rear legs of a chair, wherein at least two of the plurality of risers are formed in a U-shape to receive a continuous beam of the chair; a set screw for securing the plurality of risers to the front and rear legs of the chair; and a dowel placement hole formed in an interior base of the U-shaped risers for receiving an optional height adjustment dowel. 